Documents of the Christian Church
Edited by Henry Bettenson & Chris Maunder
Number of quotes: 22
Book ID: 74 Page: 5/6/7
Section: 4A
a. The ‘Liberal’ View – ‘The Light that lighteth every man’ Justin, Apology (c.150), I. xlvi. 1-4. . . .
We are taught that Christ is the first-born of God, and we have shown above that He is the reason (Word) of whom the whole human race partake, {4} and those who live according to reason are Christians, even though they are accounted atheists. Such were Socrates and Heraclitus among the Greeks, and those like them. . . .
. . . .
b. The Negative View- ‘The Wisdom of This World’ Tertullian (c.160-240), De praescriptione haereticorum (c.200), vii
. . . .
What is there in common between Athens and Jerusalem? What between the Academy and the Church? What between heretics and Christians? . . . Away with all projects for a ‘Stoic,’ a ‘Platonic’ or a ‘dialectic’ Christianity! After Christ Jesus we desire no subtle theories, no acute enquiries after the gospel. …
c. Another ‘Liberal’ Clement of Alexandria (c.200), Stromateis, I.V. 28
. . . .
For philosophy was a ‘schoolmaster’ to bring the Greek mind to Christ, as the Law brought the Hebrews. Thus philosophy was a preparation, paving the way towards perfection in Christ.
Quote ID: 2057
Time Periods: 2
Book ID: 74 Page: 24
Section: 3D1
u. Theodosius I (379-395) on Catholic and Heretic Cunctos populos, 380 (Cod. Theod. XVI.i.2). . . .
According to the apostolic teaching and the doctrine of the Gospel, let us believe the one deity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in equally majesty and in a holy Trinity. We authorize the followers of this law to assume the title of Catholic Christians; but as for the others, since, in our judgement, they are foolish madmen, we decree that they shall be branded with the ignominious name of heretics, and shall not presume to give to their conventicles the name of churches. They will suffer in the first place the chastisement of the divine condemnation, and in the second the punishment which our authority, in accordance with the will of Heaven, shall decide to inflict.
Quote ID: 2058
Time Periods: 4
Book ID: 74 Page: 32
Section: 2B1,3C1
A “conservative” like Juvenal, who professedly execrates all foreign superstitions, might at first sight appear to be devoted in every fibre to the national religion; and reading the delightful opening of satire XII, one might well imagine that he still loved it profoundly. He paints with charming freshness the preparations for one of the sacrifices to the Triad of the Capitol: {83} . . . .PJ: Three in one.
Quote ID: 2059
Time Periods: 4
Book ID: 74 Page: 42
Section: 3D1
d. Arianism1. The Letter of Arius to Eusebius, Bishop of Nicomedia, c.321 Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, 423-58, H.E. I.V
Quote ID: 2060
Time Periods: 45
Book ID: 74 Page: 43
Section: 3D1
the brethren for the sake of God and his Christ, how grievously the bishop attacks and persecutes us, and comes full tilt against us, so that he drives us from the city as atheists because we do not concur with him when he publicly preaches, ‘God always, the Son always; at the same time the Father, at the same time the Son; the Son co-exists with God, unbegotten; he is ever-begotten, he is not born-by-begetting; neither by thought nor by any moment of time does God precede the Son; God always, Son always, the Son exists from God himself’.Eusebius, your brother, Bishop of Caesarea, Theodotus, Paulinus, Athanasius, Gregory, Aetius, and all the other bishops of the East, have been condemned for saying that God existed, without beginning, before the Son;
. . . .
And before he was begotten or created or appointed or established, he did not exist; for he was not unbegotten. We are persecuted because we say that the Son has a beginning, but God is without beginning.
Quote ID: 2061
Time Periods: 34
Book ID: 74 Page: 43/44
Section: 3D1
2. ‘The Arian Syllogism’ Socrates (c.440), H.E. I.V. . . .
On one occasion, at a gathering of his presbyters and the rest of the clergy, he essayed a rather ambitious theological disquisition on the Holy Trinity, a meta-physical explanation of the Unity in Trinity. But one of the presbyters of his diocese, Arius by name, a man not lacking in dialectic, thinking that the bishop was expounding the doctrine of Sabellius the Libyan, from love of controversy espoused a view diametrically opposed to the teaching of Libyan, and attacked the statements of the bishop with energy. ‘If,’ said he, ‘the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence; hence it is clear that there was [a time] when {1} the Son was not. It follows then of necessity that he had his existence from the non-existent.’
Quote ID: 2062
Time Periods: 5
Book ID: 74 Page: 44
Section: 3D1
3. The Letter of the Synod of Nicaea, 325: Condemnation of Arius Socrates, H.E. I. ix
Quote ID: 2063
Time Periods: 4
Book ID: 74 Page: 44
Section: 3D1
3. In the first place, examination was made into the impiety and lawlessness of Arius and his followers, in the presence of our most God-beloved sovereign Constantine; and it was unanimously decided that his impious opinion should be anathematized, together with all the blasphemous sayings and expressions which he has uttered in his blasphemies, affirming that ‘the Son of God is from what is not’ and ‘there was a time when he was not’; saying also that the Son of God, in virtue of his free-will, is capable of evil and good, and calling him a creature and a work. All these utterances the holy Synod anathematized, not enduring the hearing of so impious, or rather of so demented, an opinion, and such blasphemous sayings. . . .
Quote ID: 2064
Time Periods: 4
Book ID: 74 Page: 194
Section: 2E2
3. That the law of continence enjoined on priests, which was first ordained to the prejudice of women, brings sodomy into all the Holy Church,
Quote ID: 2065
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 196
Section: 2E1
8. That pilgrimages, prayers, and offerings made to blind crosses or roods, and to deaf images of wood or stone, are pretty well akin to idolatry and far from alms, and although these be forbidden and imaginary,
Quote ID: 2066
Time Periods: ?
Book ID: 74 Page: 197
Section: 3A2A,3A4C
10. That manslaughter in war, or by pretended law of justice for a temporal cause, without spiritual revelation, is expressly contrary to the New Testament,
Quote ID: 2067
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 197
Section: 2E2
11. That the vow of continence made in our Church by women who are frail and imperfect in nature, is the cause of bringing in the gravest horrible sins possible to human nature,
Quote ID: 2068
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 199
Section: 3A2A
Whereas the diocesans of the said realm cannot by their jurisdiction spiritual, without aid of the said royal majesty, sufficiently correct and said false and perverse people,
Quote ID: 2069
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 202
Section: 3A2A
the sheriffs, mayors, and bailiffs of the said counties, cities, boroughs, and towns shall be attending, aiding, and supporting, to the said diocesan and his commissaries.
Quote ID: 2070
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 214
Section: 3A1
The Romanist have, with great adroitness, drawn three walls around themselves, with which they have hitherto protected themselves, so that no one could reform them, whereby all Christendom has suffered terribly.First, if pressed by the temporal power, they have affirmed and maintained that the temporal power has no jurisdiction over them, but, on the contrary, that the spiritual power is above the temporal.
Secondly, if it were proposed to admonish them with the Scriptures, they objected that no one may interpret the Scriptures but the Pope.
Thirdly, if they are threatened with a council, they invented the notion that no one may call a council but the Pope.
Pastor John’s note: See previous page for source.
Quote ID: 2071
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 267/268
Section: 3A1
d. The Papal Bull against Elizabeth, 1570 Bull of Pius V, Regnans in excelsis: B.R. vii. 810 ff. Extracts in Mirbt, 491. . . .
He that reigns in the highest, to whom has been given all power in heaven and earth, entrusted the government of the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church (outside which there is no salvation) to one man alone on the earth, namely to Peter, the chief of the Apostles, and to Peter’s successor, the Roman pontiff, in fullness of power [potestatis plenitude]. This one man he set up as chief over all nations and all kingdoms, to pluck up, destroy, scatter, dispose, plant and build. . . .
. . . .
5. we deprive the said Elizabeth of her pretended right to the realm and all other things aforesaid: and we enjoin and forbid all and several the nobles, etc. ... that they presume not to obey her and her admonitions, commands, and laws. All who disobey our command we involve in the same sentence of anathema.
Quote ID: 2072
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 281/282
Section: 2D1
III. THE TRIDENTINE PROFESSION OF FAITH, 1564From the Bull of Pius IV, Injunctum nobis, November 1564:
Mansi, xxxiii. 220 B ff. Denzinger, 994 ff.
. . . .
I recognize the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church as the mother and mistress of all churches;
Quote ID: 2073
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 319
Section: 3A1
IV. PRESBYTERIANISMThe Westminster Confession of Faith, 1643 Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, III, etc.
Pastor John’s note: page 322
Quote ID: 2074
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 322
Section: 3A1
IV. PRESBYTERIANISMThe Westminster Confession of Faith, 1643 Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, III, etc.
Pastor John’s note: page 322
Quote ID: 2075
Time Periods: 7
Book ID: 74 Page: 338
Section: 2D3B
The Chief Principles of the Christian religion, as professed by the people called the Quakers[These fifteen propositions were drawn up in 1678 by Robert Barclay, an educated disciple of George Fox. They form the headings of the fifteen chapters of his Apology for the Quakers.]
II. Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son revealeth Him; and seeing the revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit; therefore the testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge of God hath been, is and can be only revealed; …
. . . .
Moreover, these divine inward revelations, which we make absolutely necessary for the building up of true faith, neither do nor can contradict the outward testimony of the Scriptures, or right and sound reason. Yet from hence it will not follow that these divine revelations are to be subjected to the examination either of the outward testimony of the Scriptures, or of the natural reason of man,
Quote ID: 2076
Time Periods: ?
Book ID: 74 Page: 340/341
Section: 2A6
XII. Concerning BaptismAs there is one Lord and one faith, so there is one baptism; which is not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience before God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And this baptism is a pure and spiritual thing, to wit, the baptism of the Spirit and fire, by which we are buried with Him, that being washed and purged from our sins, we may walk in newness of life; of which the baptism of John was a figure which was commanded for a time, and not to continue for ever. As to the baptism of infants, it is a mere human tradition, for which neither precept nor practice is to be found in all the Scripture.
XIII. Concerning the Communion, or Participation of the Body and Blood of Christ
The Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is inward and spiritual, which is the participation of His flesh and blood, by which the inward man is daily nourished in the hearts of those in whom Christ dwells; of which things the breaking of bread by Christ with His disciples was a figure, which they even used in the Church for a time, who had received the substance, for the cause of the weak; even as abstaining from things strangled, and from blood, the washing one another’s feet and the anointing of the sick with oil; all of which are commanded with no less authority and solemnity than the former; yet seeing they are but the shadows of better things, they cease in such as have obtained the substance.
Pastor John’s Note: See page 337 for source
Above Source: XII. The Quakers
The Chief Principles of the Christian religion, as professed by the people called the Quakers
[These fifteen propositions were drawn up in 1678 by Robert Barclay, an educated disciple of George Fox. They form the headings of the fifteen chapters of his Apology for the Quakers.]
Quote ID: 2078
Time Periods: ?
Book ID: 74 Page: 341
Section: 3A1
XIV. Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters purely Religious and pertaining to the ConscienceSince God hath assumed to himself the power and dominion of the conscience, who alone can rightly instruct and govern it, therefore it is not lawful for any whatsoever, by virtue of any authority or principality they bear in the government of this world, to force the consciences of others;
Pastor John’s note: see page 337 for source
Above Source: XII. The Quakers
The Chief Principles of the Christian religion, as professed by the people called the Quakers
[These fifteen propositions were drawn up in 1678 by Robert Barclay, an educated disciple of George Fox. They form the headings of the fifteen chapters of his Apology for the Quakers.]
Quote ID: 2079
Time Periods: 7
End of quotes